Rheumatism League discussion group: Strong together against pain!

Rheumatism League discussion group: Strong together against pain!

A very special meeting will take place in Böblingen on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. At 7:00 p.m., the multi-generational house “Treff am See”, located at Poststrasse 38, opens its doors for the discussion group meeting of the Rheumaliga Baden-Württemberg e.V. The focus here is on the exchange between those affected by inflammatory, rheumatic diseases and soft tissue rheumatism. This initiative offers a valuable opportunity to share experiences and support each other, which can be of great importance to those affected.

Particular attention is paid to the participation of Renate Brodbeck and Hans Schopf, who are available as contact persons. Anyone who is interested in taking part in this valuable exchange can register informally with Waltraud Ruckh. This can be done by telephone at 0 71 57 / 53 83 83 or by email at w.ruckh@rheuma-liga-bw.de. So everyone who is affected sets out to deepen their own understanding of their illness and perhaps also find new approaches to solving it.

Rheumatism in Germany

But what exactly motivates people who suffer from rheumatism? Around 700,000 adults in Germany are affected by rheumatoid arthritis, which corresponds to around 0.8%-1.2% of the adult population. Around 14,000 children and adolescents also suffer from juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which accounts for around 0.1% of minors. The numbers speak for themselves: around 350,000 people suffer from ankylosing spondylitis, which is where many of the registrations against rheumatism come from.

In addition, around 200,000 people suffer from psoriatic arthritis. Collagen diseases such as primary Sjögren's disease and systemic lupus erythematosus should also not be underestimated. There are around 49,000 and 39,000 affected people here respectively. These statistics show that rheumatism is a widespread problem that affects many families in Germany. Anyone who comes to this discussion group meeting as an affected person or interested person will find like-minded people there and can exchange ideas and be inspired about ways to alleviate and cope with their illness. This initiative is therefore very relevant for those affected.

In addition to the diseases mentioned, the focus is also on rarer forms such as systemic sclerosis and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, which affect approximately 15,000 and 12,000 people. This variety of rheumatic diseases shows how important a space for exchange is, because it is often easier to deal with challenges in a community.

So if you have time on November 12th, don't hesitate to register and take part in the discussion group meeting. It is not only an opportunity for information, but also a chance to meet like-minded people and network. Maybe you will find the support you need to better manage your everyday life!